The Skeleton Dance

Plot

As midnight strikes in a spooky cemetery, bats emerge from the belfry while a dog howls at the full moon and two black cats brawl. Four skeletons rise from their graves, initially startling each other before breaking into an elaborate dance routine. The skeletal quartet uses their bones as musical instruments, playing each other's ribcages like xylophones and using their skulls as drums. Their macabre ballet continues until dawn approaches, signaled by a rooster's crow, causing the skeletons to rush back to their graves just in time to avoid the morning light.

Historical Background

Created during the explosive transition from silent to sound films in 1929, 'The Skeleton Dance' emerged at a time when Hollywood was revolutionizing cinema with talkies. The Great Depression was beginning, affecting theater attendance and making studios experiment with new attractions. Animation was still in its infancy, with most cartoons being simple gag reels. Disney's focus on musical synchronization and artistic ambition set this film apart. The horror-comedy genre was gaining popularity in live-action films, and Disney cleverly adapted this trend for animation. The film also reflected the 1920s fascination with spiritualism and the macabre, making it culturally relevant while pushing artistic boundaries.

Making Of

The production of 'The Skeleton Dance' marked a pivotal moment in Disney's history. Walt Disney conceived the idea after hearing Carl Stalling play 'Danse Macabre' on the piano. Ub Iwerks, Disney's primary animator at the time, worked tirelessly to bring the skeletons to life, pioneering techniques for animating bone structures and creating fluid movements that would influence animation for decades. The film's creation coincided with Disney's move to the new Hyperion Avenue studio, where better facilities allowed for more sophisticated sound synchronization. The team faced challenges in making the skeletons both scary and funny, ultimately succeeding by giving them exaggerated, ballet-like movements. The music recording was particularly innovative, with Stalling conducting a small orchestra and timing the score precisely to match Iwerks' animation.

Visual Style

The animation employed groundbreaking techniques for its time, including complex multi-plane effects and sophisticated character movement. The use of silhouettes against moonlit backgrounds created dramatic visual contrasts, while the skeletal designs allowed for innovative animation of bone structures. The film utilized a limited color palette in its original release, focusing on black, white, and gray tones to enhance the spooky atmosphere. The camera work included dynamic angles and movements that were unusual for animation of the era, giving the short a cinematic quality. The lighting effects, particularly the moonlight filtering through the cemetery, demonstrated advanced understanding of visual storytelling in animation.

Innovations

The film pioneered several technical innovations in animation, including advanced synchronization between animation and sound, complex character animation of non-human figures, and sophisticated use of musical timing. The skeleton animation required new approaches to depicting bone structure and movement, techniques that influenced later character animation. The film also demonstrated early use of the multiplane camera effect for depth. The sound recording techniques developed for this short became standard for Disney productions. The success of the musical synchronization in this film convinced Disney to invest heavily in sound technology, leading to future innovations like Fantasound. The animation techniques developed for the skeletal movements influenced character animation throughout the industry.

Music

The musical score, arranged and conducted by Carl Stalling, was based on Camille Saint-Saëns' 'Danse Macabre' but extensively adapted to fit the animation. Stalling created original variations and added comedic sound effects synchronized perfectly with the skeleton movements. The soundtrack was recorded using the RCA Photophone system, one of the earliest sound-on-film technologies. The music featured a small orchestra with emphasis on percussion instruments to match the skeletal bone-rattling effects. This was one of the first cartoons to use a continuous musical score throughout, establishing a precedent for future Disney animations. The success of this musical approach led to Stalling becoming Disney's first regular music director.

Memorable Scenes

• The four skeletons rising from their graves in perfect synchronization with the opening music
• The skeletons playing each other's ribcages like xylophones in a percussive dance routine
• One skeleton removing its skull and using it as a drum while dancing
• The frantic rush back to their graves at dawn, ending with the final skeleton diving headfirst into its grave as the rooster crows

What Critics Said

Contemporary critics praised 'The Skeleton Dance' for its artistic merit and technical innovation. Variety called it 'a clever piece of work' while Motion Picture News noted its 'excellent synchronization and novel effects.' The New York Times highlighted how the film 'makes the macabre amusing without losing its eerie quality.' Modern critics view it as a masterpiece of early animation, with Leonard Maltin describing it as 'one of the most brilliant animated shorts ever made.' Film historians consistently cite it as a pivotal work in animation history, noting how it elevated the medium from novelty to art form. The film is frequently included in lists of the greatest animated shorts of all time.

What Audiences Thought

Initial audience reactions were mixed, with some finding the dancing skeletons too spooky for children, but the film quickly gained popularity through word-of-mouth. Theater owners reported that audiences were fascinated by the novelty of skeletons dancing to classical music, and the short became a repeat draw at many cinemas. Children particularly enjoyed the humorous aspects of the skeletons using their bones as instruments. Over time, the film developed a cult following and became a Halloween television staple in later decades. Modern audiences continue to be impressed by the animation quality and creativity, with the short regularly garnering millions of views on digital platforms.

You Might Also Like